Love is Lovelier

by Donna Simonetta

  The screen door slammed, and they all turned to see who was coming.

  “I wonder what tore Jason away from his harem? When last I saw him he was on the dance floor surrounded by a bevy of his groupies, dancing in a circle around him,” Heather said.

  “And this girl he’s with is not at all his usual type,” Jeff added.

  Jason’s taste did run to long-legged, curvy blondes and girls with a bra size bigger than their IQ. This woman at his side was an average height brunette. Her hair was cut in a cute layered pixie style, and she wore funky dark-rimmed eyeglasses. In her jeans and flowy top, she was much more casually dressed than most of the party-goers, and she looked definitely brainy.

  “Hey y’all,” Jason called out as they approached, and Heather held her fingers to her lips and pointed at the sleeping baby.

  “Sorry,” Jason said in a much softer voice, “I didn’t see the little squirt. Have any of you seen Peanut and her posse?”

  “Sam and her friends? They’re up in her bedroom. Why?” Jeff replied.

  “This is Hadley’s aunt from Baltimore. She’s here to pick her up, and they weren’t in the dining room, so I offered to help her hunt them down.”

  Jeff rose and shook her hand, “I’m Sam’s dad, Jefferson Braden, but please, call me Jeff. It’s nice to meet you.” Maggie stood up and moved to his side, so he slung his arm around her shoulders and said, “And this is my fiancée, Magda Horvath. Over there is my sister, Heather Braden, and our friend, Mick Evans.”

  Mick started to stand up, like a good Southern gentleman, but the woman gestured for him to stay put. “Please don’t get up, in my experience it’s best to let sleeping babies lie. Hi everyone! I’m Lily Davis, and it’s great to meet all of you.”

  “Not Diemer or Peterson?” Maggie asked, mentioning the last names of Hadley and her mother.

  Lily shook her head, and Heather noticed her hazel eyes twinkle behind her big glasses. “Gloria was a Davis a few husbands ago. It’s our father’s name.”

  “Let me run up to Sam’s room to get the girls,” Jeff said.

  “I’m a little early, but when I got here from Baltimore, Gloria said she had a party to attend down in D.C., and took off right away. I rattled around in her house for a while, so I decided to come now, but I hate to cut Hadley’s time with her friends short. I can wait in my car, or just come back later.”

  Her response was more direct and lengthier than Heather would’ve expected, and Lily’s accent sounded a lot like Maggie’s. “Please join us, Lily. Can I get you a drink or something to eat?”

  Lily smiled and sat in an empty seat. “No thanks. Gloria’s chef prepared something for me. I would’ve been happy with a PB&J, but he whipped up a gourmet meal for me, which I ate in solitary splendor in the dining room.”

  Heather smiled. “A chef? That must be nice.”

  “You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Lily wrinkled her nose and frowned.

  Heather decided to change the subject, “You live in Baltimore, but that doesn’t sound like a Bawlmer accent to me. Where are you from originally?”

  Lily grinned, and imitated a Baltimore accent, “I can speak Bawlmerese with the best of ’em, Hon, but I’m from Connecticut originally.”

  Maggie beamed at her. “Me too! Whereabouts?”

  “I’m from Westport, and I have to confess Gloria already told me you’re from Greenwich.”

  Maggie frowned. “Stratford, actually. My grandmother has a home in Greenwich, but I grew up in Stratford with my dad.”

  Lily rolled her eyes. “That’s Gloria for you. Why mention where you’re really from, when she can name-drop Elizabeth Mallory and Greenwich?”

  There was a brief silence, as no one felt comfortable acknowledging that harsh truth about Gloria to her sister.

  Jeff cleared his throat and said, “It was nice of you to come out here so fast to see Hadley. The poor kid’s been in a spin about moving.”

  Lily’s friendly eyes grew flinty. “I know, and I feel awful Gloria put her in that position. I’m pretty irritated with my half-sister right about now, and that’s probably why I just made you guys so uncomfortable with my witchy comment about her. Sorry.”

  “It’s been rough on Hadley. She boards her horse out at our farm, so I see quite a bit of her, and she’s been nervous about her future. Are you going to take her back to Baltimore?” Jason asked.

  Lily craned her neck to look up at him. “No. I have a small place in a so-so neighborhood there. It’s all I can afford on my teacher’s salary and it’s okay for me, but I wouldn’t want to move Hadley in there. I’m going to move here, so she can stay in her own house and at the same school with all her friends. I’m interviewing for a job in the middle school on Monday.”

  “That is so nice of you,” Maggie said warmly.

  “Yeah. Leaving a small apartment in a bad neighborhood to live in Gloria’s mansion out on River Road, what a sacrifice,” Jason said with uncharacteristic rudeness.

  “Jason Braden!” Heather gasped. “It’s a wonderful thing Lily is doing! It’s a good thing Mama is in the house, so she didn’t hear you! Where are your manners? Apologize to Lily this instant!”

  “Sorry, Mom,” Jason scowled, but said stiffly to Lily, “My sister is right. I forgot my manners. I’m sorry for my rudeness.”

  “It’s okay,” Lily smirked at him. “I tore you away from all your admirers inside; you’re bound to be a little cranky.”

  Heather looked from her younger brother to Lily, amazed a woman called him on his bull. Usually women fell under his spell, and let him get away with anything. Of course, he was not being his usual, charming self with Lily for some reason. Given the amount of time Lily’s niece spent in various Braden homes, Heather sincerely hoped the two would get over their animosity toward each other. Even if they couldn’t be friends, she hoped they would be able to be civil to one another.

  The screen door flew open with a bang, and a herd of twelve-year-old girls thundered down the stairs. Baby Cisco awoke with a start and howled.

  “Aunt Lily! You’re here! I can’t believe it!” Hadley shrieked, as she threw herself into her aunt’s waiting arms.

  Lily hugged the girl tightly and said, “I’m here to stay, kiddo, so get used to me.”

  Chapter 26

  Heather sat on the red couch in Mick’s cabin and stretched out her long legs. Mick leaned against the counter in the kitchenette. He rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt. “This is some warm spell we’re having. It’s the middle of the night and still so hot. Can I get you something to drink? Water?”

  Heather kicked off her shoes, and turned to rest her back against the arm of the sofa so she could see Mick behind her in the kitchen. “It takes a while to adjust to the weather when you first move here from Portland. Luckily Jeff, Sam, and I moved back in the winter after football season, so it was cooler. But that first summer…phew!”

  Mick took a sip of his own glass of water. “So, you’re saying you don’t want a drink? Y’know, since you’re so warm-weather tough and I’m such a wuss?”

  “That’s not what I meant, and you know it! And I’d love a glass of water. People have been pouring those Heather cocktails down my throat since we got to the party. I could use a little hydration.”

  “One glass of water coming up!”

  Mick reached to take down another glass from the cupboard, and Heather admired the flex of his muscles in his broad shoulders, under his well-fitted shirt. His buns in his dress slacks, on display since he’d shed his sport coat as soon as they got to the cabin, were a fine sight too.

  She wriggled her toes. This was nice, coming home together from a party. It felt cozy and comfortable, but with the promise of hot and steamy still to come. Maybe this was how married couples felt. The thought made her stomach lurch, or maybe it was just the Heathers she’d consumed. Could she be making progress in her fear of commitment? Normally the thought of the ‘M’ word would have her running out the door in a bl
ind panic, but in spite of a little queasiness, at the same time it also felt right being here with Mick like this, and she didn’t feel the need to flee. Baby steps.

  Mick handed her a glass, which was already coated with condensation. He lifted her legs, as he sat down on the opposite end of the sofa, and placed her feet in his lap.

  “It’s nice Sam’s friend won’t have to move. Gloria really is a piece of work, so ready to stick her own kid in a foreign boarding school, just so she can play at being an ambassador’s wife. Her sister seems a lot more human, and down to earth,” Mick said.

  “That’s not hard to do, the Kardashians are more down to earth than Gloria, but Lily does seem nice. It will be fun having a woman in this town who is impervious to my brother Jason’s charms. He’s gotten spoiled by all the female attention he gets.” Her sentence ended on a moan as Mick rubbed the arch of her foot with his strong hands. “Mmm, that feels so good.”

  He smiled at her and it held the promise of more fun to come from those big hands. “Lily and Jason really didn’t seem to like each other much. I wonder why?”

  Her eyes had fluttered shut with pleasure, but she opened them as thought about it. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen Jason be so rude to anyone before. Maybe it’s because she’s the only woman who didn’t automatically succumb to his charm.”

  “Maybe he’s attracted to her. She’s kinda cute if you like that whole Bohemian thing she’s got going on.”

  She laughed. “I don’t think so. She’s not Jason’s type. Most of his girlfriends aren’t the brightest bulbs, and Lily seems really smart. Plus, and perhaps more important, we are not twelve anymore! He’s not going to pick on a girl because he thinks she’s cute.”

  She purred like a kitten as he continued to work his magic on her tired feet.

  Mick chuckled at her reaction. “And yet, some might say it’s exactly what we were doing when I first came to Rivers Bend. You seemed like you were ready to give me a pair of concrete shoes and dump me in the Potomac, but look at us now.”

  “Yeah, but we have a history together. I had a very good reason for being ticked off at you.”

  Uh oh. Maybe bringing up the past wasn’t very smart. Mick’s foot lovin’ stopped abruptly.

  “You did have a good reason, eleven years ago. Not now.”

  “Nooo.” She knew her hesitant answer wasn’t at all convincing, but she couldn’t help the hesitation in her voice.

  Mick frowned. “Are you still mad about what happened back then? I thought we were past it.”

  She rubbed his thigh with her foot. “We are. I am. What happened in Portland is behind us, I swear.”

  It wasn’t his fault her brother clearly thought more of Mick professionally than he did of her. She busted her ass for Jeff at the Retreat, but Mick was the one Jeff had working toward a partnership, not her. It stung. She knew she shouldn’t hold it against Mick, but sometimes unwanted thoughts popped into her head.

  He caught her foot and recommenced the rubbing. “Glad to hear it. You scared me for a minute there.”

  Determined to not make Mick pay for things that weren’t his fault, she said, “I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”

  Heat warmed his eyes, and when he spoke his voice was deep and rough. “Then maybe I better get you to bed.”

  She made a show of arching her back and stretching. “Bed sounds like a plan.”

  Mick waggled his eyebrows and tugged on her ankle. She squealed as he pulled her onto his lap. He stood, with her cradled in his arms, and she marveled at the strength it took.

  “C’mon, lady, let’s get you tucked into bed.”

  She saw the world go upside down as he hoisted her over his shoulder into a fireman’s carry.

  “Mick!” Her breath came in gasps, as the blood rushed to her head. “What are you doing?”

  She giggled as he swatted her bottom, which was currently positioned right next to his face.

  “Sweeping you off your feet. Isn’t this what people mean by that? Did I get it wrong?”

  She heard the laugh in his voice and turned her head, which made her realize she was in the perfect position to reciprocate, so she gave his tight buns a slap. “I had a lot of Heathers tonight; you won’t be laughing if I yip all over these expensive slacks.”

  She felt his hands shift their grip on her, and then the world spun again until she was right side up, as he turned her and gently tossed her onto his bed. She bounced once, and then Mick was on top of her. He pressed butterfly kisses to the spot below her ear that made her heart stop; his hands ran down her body from the outside curve of her breasts to her hips. Her breath caught audibly, and she felt his lips curve into a smile against her throat.

  “I take it you like this kind of sweeping-off-your-feet better?”

  She shrugged with feigned indifference. “It’s not bad.”

  He raised his head and grinned at her wolfishly. “Not bad? Not bad? I’ll give you not bad!”

  His hands slid up her waist, and she tensed in anticipation of what he would do to improve on his earlier stroking to stoke her fires. Instead, she jumped as he launched a tickle offensive. She writhed on the bed and gasped, even as she laughed. “Stop it! You know how ticklish I am! Fine. I admit it—I’m swept off my feet!”

  His hands stilled. “Was that so hard?”

  She used her legs, and the element of surprise to flip him, so he was on his back on the bed, and she was on top of him. The hint of a smile played around his lips, and he raised his eyebrows.

  She answered his unspoken question. “Raised by brothers, remember? I learned a few tricks. And you forgot, Michael Evans, I know where you’re ticklish too.”

  As she spoke she wriggled her way down his body and ran her hands up his pant legs to tickle behind his knees.

  He squirmed and laughed. “Uncle! Uncle!”

  She stroked her hand back down his calf, and grinned up the length of his body at him. “We seem to be at a stalemate.”

  She knew with his superior size and strength he could turn the tables with no problem, but he didn’t. Instead, Mick wove his fingers together and put his hands behind his head, and said with a grin, “You win, have your wicked way with me, woman.”

  She licked her lips. “I don’t know where to start.”

  “Are you taking suggestions?” he asked helpfully. “Because if you are, I have a few.”

  She smiled at him, trying to school her features into a wide-eyed, innocent expression, in spite of feeling full of playful devilishness. “Nope. Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ve got it.”

  His groan, as she straddled him and undid his belt buckle, was her only answer.

  ****

  Mick stood at the bathroom mirror, and knew he had to stop grinning like a well-satisfied fool if he had any hope of shaving, but he couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off his face. Last night with Heather had been amazing. And she hadn’t run away this morning. Well, sort of, but she wasn’t running scared this time. She’d just borrowed Lola to run to her place to change her clothes.

  There was a big brunch at her mom’s house this morning, and she couldn’t very well show up in the same dress she’d worn to the party last night. Although, given Rivers Bend’s propensity for gossip, he was sure it would be all over town that she’d driven his car to her place bright and early, while still wearing said wrinkled dress.

  Grinning, he shook his head, looked at his reflection in the mirror, and tightened the fluffy white towel knotted low on his waist. This was actually his second shower of the morning. The first was with Heather, and he’d concentrated on washing her sexy, sudsy body, after which no one was much interested in getting clean.

  He practically couldn’t recognize the man in the mirror, and he definitely couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this happy. He knew for a fact that he’d never had so much fun with a woman in bed before. Oh, he was no monk, and he’d enjoyed some steaming hot sex in the past, but it was never been as light-hearted
, fun, and playful as it had been last night with Heather. He felt like he could relax with her and just be himself. And, man, did it ever feel like a gift. One he wasn’t sure he deserved, but he was no fool, and he had no intention of turning it down.

  A buzz filled the steamy bathroom as he turned on his electric shaver and ran it over his face. As he did so, he wondered how long before Heather got back in Lola. He shook his head in wonder; he still couldn’t believe he let her borrow Lola. There wasn’t another woman on Earth he’d trust with his precious car, although even his amazing sex-addled brain had to admit loaning it to a crazy lead-foot like Heather might not have been the wisest thing to do.

  The grin crept back across his face as he shut off the razor and slapped on some aftershave. He knew Heather was a speed demon behind the wheel, but she was always in control. He didn’t want her back because he was worried about Lola. He wanted her back because he missed her. After half a freaking hour, he missed her. Christ, he was a sap about this woman.

  He heard the door creak open, and her shoes clack on the hard wood floors. Heather was back, and a sense of calm and happiness washed over him.

  He saw her reflection appear in the mirror behind him as she came through the open bathroom door. Jesus, she looked beautiful! Dressed in a red V-necked top, white skinny jeans, rolled up at the ankles, and a pair of flat sandals on her feet, she looked casual and comfortable, but she did it for him more than any woman in an expensive, designer outfit ever had.

  She rolled her eyes, “Man, Evans, you’re higher maintenance than me. I’ve driven back to my place, gotten ready, driven back here, and you’re still in your towel?”

  She looked him up down in an appreciative perusal. “Not that I don’t appreciate the view, because I do…”

  Her slow, sexy smile had his body preening at the attention, and his towel tented in the front. She chuckled and tossed him the car keys. “Mmm…it looks like the view appreciates being appreciated.”

  He easily caught the keys one handed, and she snapped her fingers. “Damn. I was hoping that would make you drop the towel.”